Hidden Rome: Palazzo Zuccari and that strange House of Monsters
In a picturesque corner of the Eternal City, between Via Sistina and Via Gregoriana, on Piazza Trinità dei Monti, there is a place that has a history to discover...
We are in front of the baroque Palazzo Zuccari, that curious building that combines a frightening architecture with the talent and creative flair of its creator. It is the painter Federico Zuccari, who designed it as his home and studio in the last decade of the sixteenth century with the aim of creating an architectural game halfway between monstrosity and charm, able to attract, without a doubt, the attention of passers-by.
The large entrance door, in fact, with the two iconic windows that represent monsters with evil eyes and wide open mouths, led customers to a small corner of paradise: the enchanting garden with roses, hedges and fountains, of which today, Unfortunately, little remains.
Access to Palazzo Zuccari is, to date, very difficult: it is here, in fact, that there is the headquarters of the Hertziana Library, one of the most excellent centers of studies on Italian art in the world, which boasts 300,000 volumes and a photographic archive of 800,000 images. Access is, however, reserved only for scholars and researchers. Sometimes, however, the curiosity of fans and customers is satisfied, with extraordinary guided tours.
If you want to book your visit you can write to us at [email protected], we will be happy to help..
